ICRAF-WWF joint activies

The project, which was executed on several phases, was executed from 2007 - 2010.
To achieve the objective, ICRAF adopted an innovative participatory methodology that consisted of developing the entrepreneurial skills of all the stakeholders in the commercialisation of four agroforestry products: njansang (Ricinodendron heudelotii), andok (Irvingia spp), okok or eru (Gnetum spp) and rattan (Calamus spp).
The strategy adopted by ICRAF embraced a wide range of technical issues such as looking at the movement of the products and the actors involved, as well as organisational issues. The parties involved constituted two groups: local NGOs and/or private sector on the one hand and the producers and/or consumers and buyers on the other. Each group had a roadmap drawn up in advance to be able to put in place an adapted system of commercialisation depending on the zone and product. Traders worked to make sure they consolidate achievements making way for a system with traders dealing on many products and at different regions simultaneously. For the producers, the target was to help them take the activity as a business. This was to enable them increase their chances of selling (marketing opportunities) through capacity building and improving on the production strategies. For a beginning, three communities of one sub-division (Ma’an): Alen, Tya’assono and Nyabessang where selected for the implementation of the strategy. After a sensitisation campaign, two training sessions were organised: first on group dynamics and sub-sector approach and the second on the basic notions of marketing. A third training session on harvesting techniques was held before the production of njangang started later in 2008 and will consisted of theoretical and practical sessions.
Concerning tree improvement aspect, more than 100 farmers were trained on the domestication of high value local indigenous fruit trees, more than 18000 trees produced and 1800 sold by farmers. 4 resource centres were set up around the reserve to help train more farmers: 2 in the villages Alen and Tya'assono in the District of Maan, one at Effoulan in the District of Akom II and one in Akak in the District of Campo.